NEW VISA CARD GATHERS FREQUENT SHOPPER POINTS
By Adnews Staff
Canada's largest discount retail chain has teamed up with the most used credit card in Canada to operate a worldwide frequent shopper reward program. Zellers and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce unveiled the CIBC Club Z Visa card yesterday in Toronto. In the fiercely contested credit card market, consumers want more than just higher credit limits, CIBC vice-president Greg McKenzie told a media conference. Zellers and the CIBC are offering people a no-fee credit card that collects Club Z points when it used for purchases, not just at Zellers but at stores all over the world. The points can be redeemed for goods at 300 Zellers stores across Canada. The program is being launched this week with television and point-of-purchase advertising, as well as direct marketing. McKenzie said that the bank received 25,000 phone calls in three days after announcing the new card in a Zellers flyer. Zellers, a Hudson's Bay Co. division, has secured its position as one of Canada's most successful retailers with the help of seven-year-old Club Z which now has 9 million members. CIBC says it pioneered the value-added credit card with the launch in 1991 of its Aerogold Visa offering frequent flyer points for for Air Canada flights. Two years later it introduced the Ford Visa card offering a rebate on the purchase or lease of a new car. The new Club Z card has also led to a reunion of Rick Padulo with Zellers. The department store chain's account played a large part in the success of his Toronto agency, but the two parted company in the spring of last year after seven years together. As the agency that does all CIBC advertising and promotion, Padulo Integrated is handling the campaign for the new card.